Devil's Advocate: Devil in the Details
by rgm0005
Summary: Devil's Advocate Side Stories. How does the world look through another's eyes? A story of how Takato's actions look from Multiple Perspectives.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note**: A number of people have made requests to see the Tamer's reactions to the changed 'Season 02.' I originally tried to squeeze them into the story itself, but was unable to make it work in any meaningful capacity. So, I decided I'd just make another fic for it.

But then I had a thought. While, originally, I was going to use this just for showing the reactions of the people in the Tamers Universe (what with the dramatically changed 02), I eventually decided that I would use this as a place for DA Side Stories in general. This includes things about the Demon Lords, Snippets of the future, the Royal Knights, the Holy Beasts, the Adventures of the Tamers, and other stuff besides.

So here's their reaction to the first episode. It's pretty short, though, because Takato didn't really show up onscreen.

**Devil's Advocate: Devil in the Details**

**Chapter One: The First Episode**

"Kenta, get in here!" Hirokazu shouted.

"I'm coming; I'm coming; calm down already." Kenta said, his arms full of snack foods.

If someone saw them, they would have thought they were sitting down for the film of the year. In reality, they were just getting ready for the new episode of Digimon.

But to them, it was the same thing.

"Damn, I can't believe Takato's gonna miss this…" Hirokazu said, eyes glued to the screen. The credits of some other anime that was of no importance before Digimon were rolling and the episode he was waiting for would start shortly.

"He's probably watching it at his house." Kenta pointed out, reasonably. They were over at his house, because Hirokazu had insisted…for some reason. Takato had said he was busy.

Takato had been busy a lot recently.

Kenta shook himself from those thoughts when his friend started bouncing in his seat.

"It's starting!"

The opening started off pretty upbeat and cheerful, as Kenta had expected, but he was surprised when the music got steadily darker. A number of faces appeared and he didn't recognize most of them. He saw Taichi and Yamato and the rest of the Chosen, but there were several new faces which he guessed were new characters. The opening ended with a black silhouette that looked strangely familiar standing alone on a grey beach.

And then the episode itself began, hitting them right off the bat with images of Pyocomon being deleted. Some were consumed by fireballs and died screaming. Some hid and were struck down despite the walls the coward behind. But they all died.

Pyocomon Village was dying and they weren't even three minutes in. They hadn't even seen the face of the person doing the killing yet!

"Holy…" Hirokazu breathed, wide-eyed.

Kenta just gapped at the screen.

Wow.

Well, they were obviously doing something new this season.

Meramon showed up a minute later, but it was already too late to help. Pyocomon Village might as well not exist. And while it was a pleasant surprise to see Meramon again, the fact remained that he was a minor character who was going up against the villain of the show…whoever that was.

The two boys knew enough about anime to know how that was going to turn out.

Suddenly, the scene cut to a young man laughing maniacally, causing Hirokazu to wince.

"Wow; he doesn't even get an onscreen death? Harsh." He said, pityingly.

Kenta looked at his friend oddly.

"Oh, I mean…who's this guy?" He corrected himself. "The new villain? …I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but he doesn't look like much compared to most of the other villains…"

The scene cut again, showing…

The boys blinked as one.

"Is that Mimi?" Hirokazu asked.

Kenta tilted his head to the side.

"I think so. She looks pretty different, though…how long after the first season is this?"

His friend shook himself.

"Well…that doesn't matter! The important thing is that now the Chosen have arrived. It's time to kick some ass!"

**XxXXxX**

The boys stared at the television screen in stunned horror as Sora was blown out of the sky. In perfect unison, they looked at each other and then back at the screen.

"Wha…What the…? What the hell!" Hirokazu suddenly exploded, standing. "I mean, seriously! Its episode one and a village has been massacred, Meramon died, death became permanent, and now Sora's taking a swan dive!"

Suddenly, the ending started playing. It was full of faux-Latin chanting.

"Even the songs are creepy!" He shouted, pointing at the screen. "What is this! What happened to all that stuff about friendship and love in the first season! Now it's full of death and pain and creepy music!"

"You didn't like it?" Kenta asked curiously.

Hirokazu calmed quite suddenly, sitting back down.

"I didn't say that."

**XxXXxX**

"Wow." Ruki said, lying on her futon. "Digimon's certainly gotten dark this year. What do you think, Renamon? Did you enjoy the show?"

She didn't have to look behind her to know that her partner was there.

She was always there.

"…It reminds me a lot of home." Her partner said, but though Ruki was sure that there were emotions attached to that statement, she couldn't hear any of them in her voice.

"Hm…" Ruki said, lifting her head and glancing at her partner. "…You're home sounds like a rough place."

"…"

She laid her head down again.

"Well…it doesn't matter anymore. Since you're in this world now."

**XxXXxX**

"Jenrya, did you not like the show? I thought you'd been looking forward to the new season." Janyuu said as his son walked into his work room.

"Ah…" Jenrya said. "Yeah, but…I guess it wasn't what I expected."

He looked over his father's shoulder at the computer screen, remembering things he'd prefer to forget.

Maybe it's not that it wasn't what he expected.

Maybe it's that it was exactly what he'd come to expect.

**XxXXxX**

"Yo, Takato!" Hirokazu waved to his friend the next day.

"You seem excited, Hirokazu." Takato said, looking a bit tired.

His friend nodded his head eagerly.

"Did you see Digimon yesterday?"

Takato yawned but nodded his head.

"What'd you think?" Hirokazu asked. "It was pretty violent this season, huh? I mean, if the whole seasons going to be like this, the Digital World's gonna be empty by the time it's over!"

"Yeah!" Kenta agreed. "I mean, they've already lost Pyocomon Village, Meramon, and maybe Sora!"

Takato nodded again, but he wasn't as excited as his friends seemed to be.

In his defense, he'd gotten to see the whole thing in person.

Watching it on TV just didn't compare.

"What do you think of the Kaiser?" Kenta asked.

Hirokazu pulled a face.

"I still say he looks lame."

Takato smiled at that.

"What he said." Takato said in full agreement.


	2. Glimpses of the Future  Part I

**Summary**: Devil's Advocate Side Stories. How does the world look through another's eyes? A story of how Takato's actions look from Multiple Perspectives.

**Devil's Advocate: Devil in the Details**

**Glimpses of the Future**

**Flowers in the Dark**

_The Right Hand of the Devil devours all._

_Those who enter the Obsidian Duke's dominion first learn that he eats light, for the sun grows dim at his borders. Then they learn that he eats color, for his kingdom is a realm of gray._

_Those who advance further into his dark wastes realize that parts of it bare the contorted markings of other life; a rock may have the shelled form of Crabmon's limbs or a grey tree trunk may reveal the frozen face of a forgotten fool who once braved the Darkness. For he also devours independence and identity, assimilating lesser creatures into his world._

_There are places within the Dark that bear the marks of his rapacity upon the fabric of space; where a single step may cover many miles of distance or where every path leads in a single direction because every other course has been devoured. And an hour's passage in other places is as days elsewhere, because there he has gnawed at the bones of Time._

_And then there are the places where, in his hunger, the Beast has chewed holes in the World. Gray sands begin to slowly fade into the roughness of concrete and asphalt, or the lushness of fresh grass, or the heat of desert sand and the cold of arctic ice. It's said that creatures and men from strange worlds wander there at times and lose themselves in the darkness, for even the great beasts of the Digital World find it difficult to wrest free from these traps._

_The Duke himself is not the only one there who hungers. Many of his abyssal servants share his appetites, and they feed on enemies and on unwary travelers with equal glee. Some are swifter than serpents and stronger than tigers. Others are as stealthy as shadows despite their impossibly brilliant plumage. They rarely deem fit to devour merely their victims' lives, preferring to steal their victims' strengths for themselves. _

_Few see fit to enter the Duke's Kingdom who do not also call it home. Even those who revel in darkness and silence seldom join them. For they seek those things for the solace and comfort they bring._

_There is no solace or comfort in that Dismal World._

_He has devoured that too._

**XxXXxX**

"We shouldn't be here." Gekomon said.

Gotsumon continued moving regardless.

"This is where they said Matsuda Takato vanished to."

"B-but Gotsumon, this is the Duke's Territory!" Gekomon whispered fearfully, as if the mere title would summon its owner.

"…The Duke is fighting Lucemon." Gotsumon said after a moment. "And he opposes Yggdrasil as well. There are stories about him-"

"Really horrifying stories! You heard them too; if he did a tenth of what they say-"

"If he'd done what those tales say he did, he'd be Matsuda Takato." Gotsumon stated.

"…You don't think…?"

"Maybe." The rocklike Digimon said. "After all…Dukemon…"

"Then why are we here! What are you thinking; if you suspect he could be the Devil's Right Hand, than why the hell do you want to go!"

Gotsumon was silent for a moment. Honestly, he wasn't sure himself. He didn't have any proof that the Duke was Matsuda Takato, but it seemed like a pretty big coincidence for them both to share that name.

Added to the fact that there were rumors that the Right Hand lived in this place.

Gotsumon had heard of Matsuda Takato, of course. He had even seen him once and heard him speak. Back in the days of the Kaiser, everyone had thought him a hero.

And then the Kaiser had fallen and something even worse had taken his place. The things Matsuda Takato and his allies had done…his name still brought rage and fear to Lucemon's enemies. And Lucemon's allies…

Well, there was a reason they called him the Right Hand of the Devil. He was worshiped almost as a God would be. He'd been called Lucemon's Son, Lucemon's General, and Lucemon's Greatest Triumph. It was said that they were a Trinity; an dark reflection of the Three Angels. Lucemon, Takato, and that unholy beast of Megiddo that had rampaged across the Digital World…

But…if the Duke was Matsuda Takato like he suspected…

Why?

The Duke fought Lucemon and his armies at every turn. Why would he do that to his master?

There was so much he didn't know and nobody who knew would tell him.

Well, he wouldn't have the balls to actually ask them in the first place.

But was that all? Was curiosity the only thing motivating him? Was that the reason he came here?

…What would he even do if he was right? If the Duke was Matsuda Takato, would he kill him for knowing?

Actually, they really might kill him, just for being here, if those rumors were true.

Why then? Why…why did he come here if it was so likely that he would die?

But then, he supposed that was the draw of Matsuda Takato, wasn't it?

A sudden buzzing interrupted his thoughts, but he didn't have more than a moment to think about it when a Kuwagamon crashed into the Earth.

"Sup, bitches!" A boisterous voice suddenly cried. "What the hell are you little pucks doing here!"

Gotsumon stared in stunned confusion, for a moment thinking the voice had come from the Kuwagamon.

"A-ara, Sister, that's…" Another voice began, quickly destroying that theory.

"Well, its true, isn't it!" The first voice replied. "I mean, a Gekomon and a Gotsumon walking into the Boss man's territory? They're either really ballsy or really stupid! Oi!"

Gotsumon, feeling that the voice was now talking to him, hesitantly replied.

"Y-yes?"

"I hope you guys are grateful that we were passing through! If you'd stumbled upon someone else, ya' might have got eaten! Now stand back; I'm coming down!"

However, they weren't even given a moment to step back before something leapt down from the Kuwagamon's back and crashed into the ground before. A dust cloud was kicked up by the impact, hiding the new arrival from sight, but that didn't keep them from identifying her.

She wasn't very subtle.

"The great Rosemon has arrived!" She announced. Even before the dust had faded, a rose garden was growing across the ground.

Gotsumon froze and Gekomon swore behind him.

They knew that name. They knew that Digimon, too, if only by reputation.

Rosemon.

General of the Jungle Troopers.

"R-Rosemon-sama!" The two Digimon were quick to fall to one knee, well aware that this Ultimate could crush them in a second if she wanted too.

She seemed pleased at their form of address.

"You hear that, sis!" She suddenly shouted, turning around. "My reputation precedes me!"

A tired sigh came from above.

"I think, sister, that you probably just live in infamy." It said.

Rosemon pulled a face and turned back to the intruders.

"So…why are you here? You should probably keep in mind that I might kill you, depending on your answer."

Gekomon squeaked, but Gotsumon didn't retreat.

"I'm looking for Matsuda Takato." He said.

He couldn't see her eyes, so he couldn't be sure, but…

Rosemon seemed surprised.

A moment later, however, she was laughing hard.

"Well, that explains that." She said after calming somewhat, though her voice was still full of mirth. "I'd wondered if you were brave or stupid, but…without a doubt, you're an idiot."

All amusement faded from her in an instant.

"If you'd told the Duke that name, he might have killed you." She stated, matter-of-factly. "And just to get to him, you would have needed to tell whichever General is on guard duty which, today, is Mr. Unknown. He would have killed you for sure. I'd say you were lucky to meet me instead, but…I'm considering killing you myself."

Gotsumon swallowed, but Rosemon didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He was well aware why; she was an Ultimate and he was a Child.

He couldn't run.

He sure as hell couldn't fight.

If she wanted him to die, he'd die.

"But…" Rosemon continued. "The reason they react so violently is because so many people have tried doing something stupid to the Boss. And even those idiots were smart enough to know that a Child and a pathetic Adult wouldn't be able to do anything to him…Are you just that stupid, or are you here for something else?"

"I…" Gotsumon wasn't sure what to say and he kicked himself for that; in this moment, what he said and didn't say could decide whether he lived or died.

But even he didn't know why he was here.

"I…was rescued once…by Matsuda Takato. Back in the days of the Kaiser." He tried.

"A new recruit?" Rosemon wondered. "Is that it? You want to join our side?"

"No." He denied immediately. "You should know, right? The story of Matsuda Takato…"

Rosemon fell silent at that.

"I don't know why I'm here." Gotsumon admitted after a moment of silence. "I heard rumors of Matsuda Takato being here…and I came in after him. What would I do if I found him…?"

He was asking himself, rather than Rosemon.

"He probably wouldn't remember me." He continued. "And…I'm not sure if I want him to. I couldn't defeat Matsuda Takato when his partner was a Child; I can't beat him now. But…I don't want to defeat him, either. Why…did I come here?"

Rosemon was silent for a moment before she let out a quiet chuckle.

"Who knows?" She said, sounding as if she were reminiscing. "Maybe it's just because…he is Matsuda Takato."

If he could have seen her eyes, he was sure they would have been closed.

"…Leave." She said. "Both of you should go. I won't chase you, but others might. This isn't a place for you."

Gotsumon hesitated, but Rosemon frowned at him.

He nodded and bowed.

"Thank you, Rosemon-sama." Gekomon said, already stepping back.

Another new voice cut off their retreat almost instantly.

"Oi, Rosemon…what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Rosemon's face twisted in distaste even as they looked for the source.

"You." She said, as if spitting something foul out of her mouth.

Minervamon had the impudence to smirk as she walked into the light.

"He's not gonna be happy with this~" She sang.

That got Rosemon's hackles up.

"Oi, don't presume to know him!" She snarled. "I was here long before you came along!"

The Olympian's smile twisted into a scowl.

"Then we can ask him, as soon as I kill both of them." She proposed, sword appearing in her hands.

Rosemon's rapier flickered into existence with a flash of lightning.

"I said I was going to let them go. Are you going to make me a liar?" Rosemon asked with a sweet voice.

But the thorns on this rose were easy to see.

For a moment, Gekomon and Gotsumon were frozen in place by the flared power of the two Ultimate Level Digimon.

Battle seemed inevitable.

And then a voice cut in.

"Play nice, girls." Matsuda Takato said.


End file.
